Macy’s New Shoe Floor Draws Crowds

Shoppers flocked to Macy’s shoe department at Herald Square Friday as the retailer unveiled the first part of its new 63,000-sq-ft digs.

The expanded shoe floor, located on the second floor of the Manhattan flagship, featured bright, white lights and new fixtures, and prominently displayed brands such as Michael Kors, Sperry Top-Sider, Marc Fisher, Boutique 9, Betsey Johnson, Steve Madden and Nine West.

The revamped layout made it easy to spot the big trends of the season: leopard prints, bright coral colors, and a large assortment of boots of every length and heel height.

The floor was also divided into main zones. On one side, architecturally curved shelves displayed hot athletic and casual styles by Nike and Converse. On the far side, there was also a new Shoe Salon, an area with gray fixtures housing better brands including Via Spiga, Joan & David and French Sole.

In every zone, there were eager shoppers ready to buy.

“You’re sold out of size 7? In just one day?” asked a surprised shopper, holding up a pair of Steve Madden bright blue velvet platform booties.

As if on cue, a second sales assistant swooped in with a handheld device to scan the code on the shoe for an inventory check, but had to deliver the bad news: “The smallest size I have is an 8.”

As the women shopped, men lounged on chairs, taking advantage of Macy’s free WiFi network by plugging away on their smartphones.

Only a portion of the women’s shoe department opened Friday: traditional, Impulse, comfort, better, athletic and the shoe closets, or clearance areas.

The rest will be completed in late August or early September. When all is said and done, there will be 280,000 pairs of shoes on hand, representing a 50 percent increase in the number of styles offered.